UK refugees dont need to intergrate or assimulate immediatley, they will do that naturally, through exploring and school friends.

They need support to hold on to things that make them feel secure like their food.

We quickly started giving the families, raw, meat, onions, spices, olive oil, cleaning products.

 We have bought winter shoes for the children since 2019 and gave Sports Direct vouchers to the older boys so they could choose their own stuff.

There’s been a new baby along the way, who is born here. We provided a beautiful Moses baskets with bedding, baby clothes, nappies and even paid for his circumcision at Whitechapel mosk.

Last summer Maryam, one of the younger girls asked me ” Is there a spare bike for me”. “Really cute ” I thought ” i need to use that line “… anyone on our travells round the country, we made a big donation of long life milk to a charity and they gave us a newer bigger bike for Maryam , alhamdulilah. Happy days.

We have been buying new clothes for the children for Eid, perfumes for adults and children.

 We receive donations of black seed oil, perfumes, cinnamon, clothes, shoes and  toys. We do our best to share these accordingly with the appropriate gender and age group, as well as giving clothes and shoes to the parents.

One family needed a single bed frame, as their teenage son had been sleeping in the living room on a mattress. Alhamdulillah with donations we were able to buy him that. From Argos a Habitat bedroom and he was really happy not to be sleeping on the floor, thanks to our generous sponsors, alhmdulilah.

The oldest girl from all the families, was beginning puberty. So to support her parents, we bought her long dresses, head scarves, its what she wanted and what her parents wanted. Islam is a universal culture.

 They all want us to eat with them or make us things like large bowls of hummus or biscuits.

 We have grown to love Syrian food and buy eating tighter we are able to discuss and address any social issues that they have. Anything out of our league we refer to seek professional advice or speak with an imam.

Its not necessarily the was that you would do it, but we are a faith based organisation , supporting faith based families. Understanding of islam is important to help their integration into uk culture.

The most unusual and not spicey food: cooked lamb in yogurt with rice and cashews, delicious, alhmdulilah

#refugees #intergration #islam #culture #universal #timeless